All About Project-Based learning

WHat is project based learning?

Chances are you’ve heard the term “project-based learning.” Does this just mean students do projects on different topics? No- there’s a lot more to it!

Project-based learning (PBL) is an instructional method where students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. The projects are designed to simulate real-world challenges or problems, making learning more authentic and meaningful.
In project-based learning, students engage with the project by asking questions, conducting research, and investigating topics to find solutions or answers.
The projects are often interdisciplinary, meaning that many parts of the curriculum get woven into the project. For example: a project about water quality may include science, math, history and social studies.

Benefits of project-based learning

Many of the benefits of project-based learning fall under the umbrella term of “21st century skills.” This is a term you will probably hear a lot but it encompasses skills that we want students to learn such as: critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity. These are considered “soft skills”- they can apply to any job and they are more about personal qualities and traits that allow us to interact with other people.

Enhanced student engagement and motivation. Kids are working on a real-world problem and this makes their learning meaningful.
Development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This is not about rote memorization but instead about exploring problems, conducting research, and answering those big questions.
Cultivation of collaboration and communication abilities among students. Projects are a class-wide endeavor so kids are working together to learn about the issue at hand.
Real-world application and relevance. This is incredibly motivating for students and leads to greater retention of content knowledge.

challenges of Project Based Learning

There are no real “downsides” to project-based learning from an educational method standpoint. The benefits are numerous and there is nothing that project-based learning does that goes against best practices in instruction. However, project-based learning does present challenges to both teachers and administrators and these are important for parents to note because these challenges significantly impact how well a school can implement project based learning.

Teacher Training and Support: PBL requires additional teacher training and ongoing support to effectively design and implement PBL units. Teachers have to understand how to facilitate inquiry-based learning, how to manage the life cycle of a project, and how to assess student learning in a PBL context. This takes time and money to be able to do.
Curriculum Alignment: An important aspect of good PBL is that it integrates as much of the existing curriculum into the project as possible. Coordinating projects with other instructional activities can be challenging. Again, this takes teacher training and time.
Assessment and Evaluation: Assessing student learning in PBL can be more complex than traditional methods. Because the learning is so complex and multi-faceted, assessments are often more in depth and include things like teacher observations and narratives, teacher-designed rubrics and assessment tools. And once again- this takes time and therefore money to do.
Time Constraints: Projects typically take longer to complete than traditional lessons or units. Finding sufficient time within the school schedule to implement PBL without sacrificing other essential learning activities can be challenging for schools.

What parents need to know

It’s likely that you’ve heard of a “project based learning” school in your area. Maybe it’s a private school, maybe it’s a charter school. There is something we want you to keep in mind when you are exploring PBL schools:

Not all PBL schools are created equally. The level to which schools implement PBL can vary widely- from being more “theme based” to being a true, PBL school which is student-guided, grounded in real world experience and requires the students to solve a problem.
PBL purists believe that it’s important for students have ownership and autonomy over their learning. (The amount of this depends on what age group you are talking about but even projects with preschoolers see some amount of autonomy) True PBL teachers are trained to let the project flow in the direction of the student’s inquiries. A project that may have begun as a question for one thing may evolve as the students dig into the project.

variations in project based learning schools

We do want to mention that there is a specific style of project based learning called The Project Approach. This is an instructional method developed by Lilian Katz and Sylvia Chard and Duke School in Durham, NC is renowned for their use of The Project Approach. Duke School maintains an Educator’s Institute where teachers from all over the country come to learn about the project approach which is typically a one week training. So if you’re interested in learning more about the Project Approach, Duke School is going to be a go-to resource for you.

So what do you think?

We hope this article has been helpful to you in learning more about Project-Based Learning. Leave us a comment to tell us about your experience with Project-Based Learning or any questions you have!